Anthony
J. Langford is a 2014 Pushcart Prize Nominee. He lives in Sydney, writes
novels, stories, poetry and creates video poems. Recent publications include
Five Poetry Magazine, Forge Journal and The Glass Coin. He works in television
and has made short films, some screening internationally. A novella, Bottomless River (2012) and a poetry
collection, Caged without Walls
(2013) are out through Ginninderra Press.

7 comments:

Brilliant!! I was particularly captivated by the first poem, the last two lines were excellent in summing things up. And poem three also sunk in without me noticing until I read the final paragraph, I too had been sucked in to the deception of appearances.

I really enjoy your more personal work, for me I relate better to them. I feel your poetry is moving into a more accessible and open place, one that I am falling deeper into and relating more to, even without ever having had experienced, month after month.

Anthony, your poems run the theme of confirm or else. Have to be married, have to follow the rules, and have to keep up appearances. And blanket coverage tattoos, what happened to less is more? The cynic in me loves those lines. I got my tattoos to conform my individuality.

I don't mind tattoos Graham - but these days bodies look more like seventies style carpet lol.... or that perhaps someone threw up on them lol.. Thanks for your comment, and yes, I'm a bit of a non conformist. Cheers...

Conform or else - the poem about university and the destruction of individuality and free thinking is quite simply brilliant in its accuracy. In fact all three showcasing your incredible talent - laying the truth bare.

I like all three of these poems a lot. The first one confirms my own thoughts about what happens if my wife dies, or leaves me. I'm not sure what will happen, but I am quite sure what won't. There will be no relationships based on feeling lonely or isolated. I'd rather open a vein.

I think you are spot on about universities. I'll even go further and say it starts a lot earlier than that. We all start out creative, wide eyed and full of wonder. Our educational systems do a pretty good job at beating most of that out of us...